Popcorn-Dispensing Machine Imitates Benihana Moves On Cue

While the voice-activation systems of Siri and, well, navigation systems, have become the butt of all jokes, this is one voice-activated machine we would actually enjoy. Popcorn, Ind., has apparently developed the Popinator, a machine that "instantly delivers" aerially a piece of popcorn into a person's mouth, triggered by the word "pop."

So saying the word "pop" will cause a kernel of popcorn to fly into your face/mouth. Lovely! According to the YouTube description, the Popinator Project "aims to change the popcorn eating experience by making it more fun." "The one thing that never changes about popcorn is how people eat it," Barry, vice president of pperations, says in the promo video.

How it works? It uses a binaural microphone system to calculate where the word "pop" came from in the room, then swivels around to deliver tasty kernels of popcorn. According to the description, the Popinator shoots up to 15 feet, is good for indoor use (although probably not for movie theaters), and seems to work fairly well (although we have no confirmation that it's a real deal). Watch it in action below (they get bonus points for talking about the aerodynamics of popcorn kernels. Science jargon is always a plus.)